11/4/2012 Shelter Bay Marina.
Having arranged with Dave on Bijou to be over at Shelter Bay marina today, Warren and I loaded the rubber ducky about 0745 after inflating the pontoons to max pressure. We got all my gear onboard and the bike not a problem.
Thanking Warren for such a great time onboard Moondanace and his company, we bade farewell at the dock both knowing we would somewhere catch up again if only to play cribbage, I owe him a canning!! Warren helped make my stay in Panama City for this amount of time possible and enjoyable.
A taxi had been arranged and Clinton was on time, the bike fitted in the trunk and the gear on the back seat.
On the way over, my maps that had been posted from the states were picked up from Mailboxes etc, a great way of getting stuff to Panama. So if you ever find yourself here for a couple of weeks and need something I recommend this company. Phone 3140601 or [email protected] From here we went to Colon and I shouted Clinton a meal in a great place in amongst houses, locals only so to speak, Clintons dad lives in Colon, he is 94.
From here we headed for the bridge that crosses the Gatun locks and on to Fort Sherman and the marina. All up about 2 hrs plus.
The road out here is a fantastic drive through rich rain forest. The marina is very isolated with the empty shells of canal zone housing, theatres and other buildings, all concrete, that the US utilized while administering the canal.
The buildings are all substantial, but many have been partly damaged on purpose to make them uooccupiable.Such a shame. There is still a guard at the enterance.
Arriving at the marina, Peter from the canal transit was spotted, so nice to see a familiar face. His boat had been on the hard for a few weeks.
It was good to see Dave.
The marina is very isolated and consequently wildlife abounds, the forest just behind is always forthcoming with the sound of howler monkees, especially early morning and at dusk, land crabs are a common sight, eaten by the locals.
Others sailors here have seen Toucans, for me that would be very special to say the least, an early morning ride along the road back to the canal may see this a reality.
Dave is a great guy, immensely self sufficient, a solo sailor at heart, he and Tigre, his poodle are great mates.He talks to Tigre like a human and he seems to understand. ‘Lets go to the swimming pool”, sees Tigre immediately get off the boat.
Dave has sailed many thousands of miles, commenting that Bijou had previously circumnavigated, he said she knew her way around, one of the reasons why he bought her 6 years ago. Tigre knows no other home than Bijou.
The three of them combining to bring one of lifes great romances to the realm of reality.
Honestly, Dave does not need me onboard, firstly, I respect this and secondly, know when just to keep to myself. Having said that we get on well.
'Most fortunate' would describe my presence on Bijou. That we are making passage to Santa Marta, Colombia is even more fortunate, very few boats make this passage at this time of year.
His independance has seen me provision the boat for myself at his request, rather than the two of us sharing food, all good with me.
Though we are sharing 1.75l bottles of Bacardi Gold, a great drop made even greater in that it is $16 a bottle. Wanting to bring gin with me was flagged when a small Bombay Sapphire came in at $20 a bottle.
Last night a walk was enjoyed in the forest, followed by a bit of yarning with a couple of German guys on the hard stand repairing their boat.
This marina is truly an international staging point for sailors from all over the world. Many are heading into the pacific and onto Australia, or heading back up the eastern US seaboard. They really have until the end of April to be underway.
James and Leslie a young couple next door are on their way to Tahiti on Saturday, needing to transit the canal to the pacific. Leslie is from Lake Macquarie. An enthusiastic girl.
I am here for another week, it is such a pleasure being away from the city, the wilderness will be explored I hope. Like all marinas people are so friendly.
My berth on Bijou is a quarter berth with fitted sheets and planty of room, most comfortable.
Last night was enjoyed over drinks with the daughters of Peter and Anna who we did the canal with. Faye is an anthropologist, on hearing this I commenced a conversation about leaf cutter ants, oh no, came to mind as the entomology penny dropped. Later in the conversation I confessed to my ignorance, we laughed.
They are enjoyable company.
They are working their way home to Nova Scotia via Cuba, as a family with their mum and dad.
Dave and I came back to Bijou and enjoyed a rum while talking boats and identifying stars, of which the Southern Cross was visible not so high in the southern sky.
Having arranged with Dave on Bijou to be over at Shelter Bay marina today, Warren and I loaded the rubber ducky about 0745 after inflating the pontoons to max pressure. We got all my gear onboard and the bike not a problem.
Thanking Warren for such a great time onboard Moondanace and his company, we bade farewell at the dock both knowing we would somewhere catch up again if only to play cribbage, I owe him a canning!! Warren helped make my stay in Panama City for this amount of time possible and enjoyable.
A taxi had been arranged and Clinton was on time, the bike fitted in the trunk and the gear on the back seat.
On the way over, my maps that had been posted from the states were picked up from Mailboxes etc, a great way of getting stuff to Panama. So if you ever find yourself here for a couple of weeks and need something I recommend this company. Phone 3140601 or [email protected] From here we went to Colon and I shouted Clinton a meal in a great place in amongst houses, locals only so to speak, Clintons dad lives in Colon, he is 94.
From here we headed for the bridge that crosses the Gatun locks and on to Fort Sherman and the marina. All up about 2 hrs plus.
The road out here is a fantastic drive through rich rain forest. The marina is very isolated with the empty shells of canal zone housing, theatres and other buildings, all concrete, that the US utilized while administering the canal.
The buildings are all substantial, but many have been partly damaged on purpose to make them uooccupiable.Such a shame. There is still a guard at the enterance.
Arriving at the marina, Peter from the canal transit was spotted, so nice to see a familiar face. His boat had been on the hard for a few weeks.
It was good to see Dave.
The marina is very isolated and consequently wildlife abounds, the forest just behind is always forthcoming with the sound of howler monkees, especially early morning and at dusk, land crabs are a common sight, eaten by the locals.
Others sailors here have seen Toucans, for me that would be very special to say the least, an early morning ride along the road back to the canal may see this a reality.
Dave is a great guy, immensely self sufficient, a solo sailor at heart, he and Tigre, his poodle are great mates.He talks to Tigre like a human and he seems to understand. ‘Lets go to the swimming pool”, sees Tigre immediately get off the boat.
Dave has sailed many thousands of miles, commenting that Bijou had previously circumnavigated, he said she knew her way around, one of the reasons why he bought her 6 years ago. Tigre knows no other home than Bijou.
The three of them combining to bring one of lifes great romances to the realm of reality.
Honestly, Dave does not need me onboard, firstly, I respect this and secondly, know when just to keep to myself. Having said that we get on well.
'Most fortunate' would describe my presence on Bijou. That we are making passage to Santa Marta, Colombia is even more fortunate, very few boats make this passage at this time of year.
His independance has seen me provision the boat for myself at his request, rather than the two of us sharing food, all good with me.
Though we are sharing 1.75l bottles of Bacardi Gold, a great drop made even greater in that it is $16 a bottle. Wanting to bring gin with me was flagged when a small Bombay Sapphire came in at $20 a bottle.
Last night a walk was enjoyed in the forest, followed by a bit of yarning with a couple of German guys on the hard stand repairing their boat.
This marina is truly an international staging point for sailors from all over the world. Many are heading into the pacific and onto Australia, or heading back up the eastern US seaboard. They really have until the end of April to be underway.
James and Leslie a young couple next door are on their way to Tahiti on Saturday, needing to transit the canal to the pacific. Leslie is from Lake Macquarie. An enthusiastic girl.
I am here for another week, it is such a pleasure being away from the city, the wilderness will be explored I hope. Like all marinas people are so friendly.
My berth on Bijou is a quarter berth with fitted sheets and planty of room, most comfortable.
Last night was enjoyed over drinks with the daughters of Peter and Anna who we did the canal with. Faye is an anthropologist, on hearing this I commenced a conversation about leaf cutter ants, oh no, came to mind as the entomology penny dropped. Later in the conversation I confessed to my ignorance, we laughed.
They are enjoyable company.
They are working their way home to Nova Scotia via Cuba, as a family with their mum and dad.
Dave and I came back to Bijou and enjoyed a rum while talking boats and identifying stars, of which the Southern Cross was visible not so high in the southern sky.
The new Gatun locks under construction, super tankers will then make the transit. Will the price of fuel be cheaper in some countries. Oil company tradition will probably provide a resounding NO to this question
Road bridge Gatun locks, waits are the norm
Tranquilo...............
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Land crabs abound around the marina as do the odd crocs so told.
These guys were literally defoliating the new growth on an adjacent tree, the palm trunk providing aerial acess, they were making a noise as the carried their bounty back to their home
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